Ending Rain
by Rael Ellan
Summary: After the events of CC, and Zack's death. Reno is left alone. He doesn't cope well. Written as Reno/Zack, but can be widely interpreted.


A/N: Hi everyone! This is my first fanfic. I've been reading the stuff for so long that I decided I really should actually contribute something to it! So, here it is! Hope you like!

Thanks to my Beta-reader: Renix05, who may be slightly surprised to see this.

Beneath me, the ground was warm. I lay there for what seemed an eternity, ear pressed into the grass. My body felt numb, encrusted with ice, unable to move. So I lay there, letting the world wash around me.

I can hear everything. The wind as it stirs dust around me. The distant whir of a helicopter. The grass as it twitches in the breeze. And somewhere, far off, separated by a mirror of memory, I hear your voice. You call to me in the darkness, and I long to answer. I want to shout, to scream. _I'm here. Please, take me home!_ But like everything else your voice fades with the light.

I'm surrounded by shadows now. I don't know how long I've been here. It could be an hour, or a year. All I care about is your voice. I roll onto my back and gaze up at the sky. Out here, away from the city, I can see the stars. They sparkle and glisten, moist with tears of pity. I can see your eyes, tonight.

_**The earth is warm next to my ear  
Insect noise is all that I hear  
A magic trick makes the world disappear  
The skies are dark, they're dark but they're clear**_

Rain. Pure, simple rain. It washed away the darkness, swept away the dust and dirt and grime from the world. It cleansed wounds, old and new. It even fixed the world, they say. It washed away all the sickness and fear. It can't fix me.

I'm standing here, letting the water wash around me. My clothes are soaked through. They cling to me, wrapping themselves around my body like a second skin. Just like you once did.

The droplets splash around me, drumming on the roof, pooling in the gutters. I close my eyes and tip my head back, drinking in the feel of the water on my skin. I used to watch you do this. I never understood. Now I think I do.

In my mind I see you. I've woken up and you're lying next me. You smile and in your eyes I can see the world. My world. Together we run down to the beach: to the perfect sea, and sky. It doesn't matter that we never went on that holiday together. I'm allowed to dream.

_**Cold water, cleaning my wounds  
A sad parade, with a single balloon  
I'm done with this, I'm counting to ten  
Bluest seas, running to them**_

It hurts. More than I could ever have imagined; pain lancing through my body like fire. I can hear myself gasp and then I see myself. I fall to the ground. _That should hurt._ I should feel it, now. The cold certainty of the bullet. The rocks digging into my back. Instead, all I can feel is the rain. Soft, warm.

I look down on my own broken form, red now soaking my once white shirt. It spreads, slowly, across my chest, as though someone had tipped red wine across my body. The sniper is walking towards me, still cautious. The barrel of his rifle still pointed at my heart. As if I cared anymore. He doesn't matter.

I can see you. You're kneeling beside me, holding my hand. _I should feel that. _You look young. Younger than I remember. The lines on your face, etched in by the constant wars, are gone now. You're smiling but it doesn't reach your eyes. I watch you lean forward to whisper into my ear but I can't hear your words. Not yet.

The shooter can't see you. He's still walking around me, waiting for me to die. He's not a very good bounty hunter. I know the reward was high for my living body.

And then I can hear you whispering quietly into my ear, and my heart sings. Your hold on my hand tightens and I can _feel _it. I grip back and you pull me to my feet. You're smiling now. A real smile. Just for me. Your eyes dance just the way they used to and I can't help but smile back.

You turn and run, away from me, amongst the stars. You beckon and I tip back my head and laugh from the sheer joy that races through my soul at the sight. I run towards you, stepping across the canvas of the universe in a game that we can play for eternity.

Dimly, I notice that I'm stronger than before. Faster. Lighter. It feels like I can run forever.

Back on earth, it begins to rain, as the bounty hunter scoops up the body that will bring his prize.

_**I feel like I am watching everything from space  
And in a minute I'll hear my name and I'll wake  
I think the finish line's a good place we could start  
Take a deep breath, take in all that you could want**_

A/N: Well thanks for sticking with it to the end. Please leave a review! They make me happy. Also, as this is my first fanfic, reviews would be extra nice. Thank you!


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